Related Articles

When you go to the ocean or a lake, you often find pieces of wood that have been smoothed over time by the water, developing an attractively weathered look. You might be interested in taking some of this driftwood home to use in your decor. Because driftwood can be sculpted, shaped or built with, just like regular wood, there are many possibilities for turning driftwood into decoration, though there are a few basic approaches.

Preparing Driftwood

Driftwood that you find by a sea, lake or other body of water has been exposed to the elements for some time, and organisms might have taken up residence in it. Before you start using driftwood in crafts or home decor, you should clean it to make it sanitary and to prevent it from smelling. First, brush the driftwood gently to remove sand, dirt or anything growing on it. Then, boil the driftwood for several hours to kill any organisms and disinfect the wood without damaging it. If boiling is impractical, soak the driftwood in diluted bleach for a few days to clean it. Once it is dry, sealing the driftwood will prevent damage to the piece and ensure that it is safe for decorating. Shellac is a good choice.

Displaying Driftwood

If you would like to display the driftwood for its beauty instead of turning it into something functional, you have several options depending upon the size of the piece. Hang a large piece on the wall as a work of art. Display medium or large pieces on a table or mantel. Small pieces are a little more difficult to work with. One solution is to make a visual statement by grouping them in one location -- for instance, in a jar or a clear vase.

A300 mobile placeholder

Making Driftwood Racks

You can easily make driftwood pieces functional by using them as racks or holders. For instance, drill a series of small holes into a large piece of driftwood and install cup hooks for keys, jewelry or ornamental pieces. Or drill into the driftwood to make cavities large enough for tea lights or votives, which can be very attractive. Using candles with driftwood can be a fire hazard, however, so you should monitor it during use. You can use sturdy driftwood as a rack or rod for holding clothes or as a rod for holding decorative fabrics.

Building With Driftwood

If you have artistic or crafting skill, you can combine several pieces of driftwood to make something functional. For instance, you can glue, nail or tie a number of medium-size pieces together to create a lamp base or use one or several large pieces to make the base of a table. Use small pieces to embellish other items; you can create a mirror frame from small pieces or attach them around the perimeter of a headboard. Small pieces also are useful for making something sculptural -- you can glue the pieces together to form shapes. You can use the same tools you would for other kinds of wood when you're working with driftwood.